A former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has denied a social media comment credited to him against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The media comment (not The Guardian) had attributed Okorocha with saying that the APC was no longer a party but rather interested in “hijacking power at all costs.”

A statement issued yesterday by his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, accused his haters of orchestrating and planting such comments, but they did not specify where and when it was made.

The statement clarified that since the former Senator who represented Imo West senatorial district from 2019 to 2023, those with phobia of him had refused to allow him rest, stressing, “Almost eight years after leaving as the Executive Governor of Imo State and years after leaving as the Senator Representing Imo West Senatorial District, those with the phobia of Rochas Okorocha have refused or failed to soft-pedal. They are yet to sleep with their two eyes closed because of Rochas Okorocha.

“For days now, they had gone on social media and planted a story and credited it to Okorocha. They, in their little-mindedness, wrote: ‘APC is no longer a political party but a party desperate to hijack power at all costs. I am at the corner looking at them—Senator Rochas Okorocha.'”

The former governor of Imo State firmly insisted that he would not leave the APC after being a founding member, maintaining: “Okorocha, as one of the founding fathers of APC, would remain committed to its well-being or success. He remains a bona fide member. He didn’t make the statement that was credited to him by those who envy him and his politics. Those concerned about his popularity and several years after leaving office as Governor and as a Senator, respectively.”

“We humbly wish to appeal to the general public to disregard the fake story and even subsequent ones, because, from all indications, those doing this are not done yet. But the good thing is that they have been pursuing someone who is not pursuing them. The implication is that Okorocha would always be sided by equity and history.”

Okorocha wondered why the writers could not specify where and when he made such a statement, “That’s their latest release or outing. Okorocha would not have or could not have made such a watery or pale statement. And they could not tell their audience where and when Okorocha made the statement. At a press conference or during a press interview or in a press release?”

“Okorocha would not have said that a party that has been in government at the federal level since 2015, and this is 2025, and still counting, ‘is no longer a political party and desperate to hijack power.’ Which power again?”

“In case these pursuers of Okorocha have forgotten, in the merger that gave birth to APC, he was the only sitting governor from the South East in the merger. And at the risk of his re-election in 2015. He took that political risk when the key players in the South East never believed it would work.”

“Against the backdrop of that development, he was called all sorts of ugly or derogatory names. Just for being in the merger that brought APC to life. And those who came into APC through ‘Congratulatory messages,’ have been using blackmail and propaganda to eclipse the known truth about Okorocha and the APC.”

The statement recalled that Okorocha and his then colleagues elected him the founding chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum: “It should be recalled too that, owing to Okorocha’s avowed dedication and commitment to APC and its ideals, he was elected by his fellow APC governors as the pioneer Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, and he never left any stone unturned. He made the forum very thick.”

“And for those who know Okorocha and his modus operandi, if he had had any reason to talk about APC either in the positive or otherwise, it wouldn’t have been in one badly or poorly written sentence, on social media. Okorocha does not play hide and seek in his politics. His brand or kind of politics is exemplary. Worthy of emulation. And the good politics would continue. The reason we won’t be hard on those behind this cock and bull story,” he clarified.